Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1887-10-05
THE MARIONETTES.

4He lduleS ustu gone 10 the drawing room
where Signor Marcimallo, the tenor, wa.
singing for them. Some of the gentlemen
were lingering at the table to finish theil
cigars and coffee and to hear Gen. PIN
pan tell once more how he had received 6
saber stroke on his cheek at the battle Of
SumtOwn. Grandfather Wag was asleeI
in the corner snoring like a horsefiddle
The room was blue with cigar smoke, and
the little majOlica clock in the corner was
so blinded by it that it got its hands
crossed and pointed to ten minutes of four
when it was really twenty minutes after
ten.
On the top shelf in the pantry were the
automatic figures. They were silent, ap-
parently, and had all stopped in con-
strained attitudes, which made them look
extremely funny. The central figure of
the little assembly was very proud
young lady with yellow hair that looked
like well pulled mOlasses candy, big dark
eyes with very dark lashes and broWs,
with crimson cheeks and lips and snow
white teeth. She looked just like one of
the beautiful ladies we see in the comic
Operas-all except her teeth. When she
was wound up she would fan herself with
a most disdainful air like the saleslady
who has ruined her prospects of marriage
by compelling her lover to take her to
hear Patti.
Next to her was baseball player, who
wore red and black striped suit and had
very large legs, though he never ran bases
in his life. He was not very fine base
ball player, because he could not get off
his base; but perhaps he was more sensible
on that account. When he was wound up
! he made three strikes with the bat which
| he held over his shoulder, and, no doubt,
like many other baseball players, lie could
have hit Il ball if it got in the way of his
bat. Then there was beautiful blue
faced monkey, with pink eyes and green
teeth, who could wink and open and shut
his mouth while he played tastefully on
the tambOurine. There was also a colored
man, who looked like Mr.. DOckstader in n
mistit, and wore a collar used by all the
fashionable flies of the heighborhood as an
evening promenade. This gentleman had
one stringed guitar, and when he was
wound up he could play a lovely accom-
paniment. No one ever wanted to be ac-
companied by one stringed guitar, unless
he played one stringed Chinese fiddle;
but the minstrel's soul was full of accom-
paniment and he played Just the same.
And there was the old woman who lived
in shoe and had so many children she
didn't know what to do, except when the
children ran down and then they gave her
no trouble, and she liked that well enough,
you may be sure.
This was very gOodly company, as NAV
easily be imagined, and they knew a great
deal about the world, for they saw it often
at dinner where it drank good deal of
wine and said many things better left I'M
siud. Now that one more big dinner was
over the mariOnettes sat on the shelf and
looked at one another. They often did
that. They could not help it very we'll
for they could not get away if they tried
They had once seen a walking doll and
had envied her, but when they found she
couldn't fan, or play on a one stringed
guitar, or make three strikes, or spank
any children, they felt more resigned.
Il never was so disguised in the whole
course OF my life, )" remarked Fannie, the
young lady with the fan. cit makes me
burn all over. wish some one would
wind me up so could fan myself"
what's the trouble, Miss Fannie?''
said Johnny Ward, the baseball PLAYER.
who was very fond of this young lady,
but being stuffed with sawdust did not
feel so deeply as he might.
DID You see those two young ladies
opposite me carrying on with that boy?"
NO, " was the general answer.
well, said Miss Fannie, highly de- |
lighted at the opportunity to tell a story. |
there were little Miss Belle Carter and |
Miss Millicent Meredith, one of them II |
years old and the other -. Opposite them |
sat Master Harry Hinton, who is only 10. |
And what do you suppose those three
were dOing?"
Its quite impossible to tell, " said the
Old woman, whose name was Sue. ''No |
one can tell what children are going to do. |
They're the worry Of my existence. Be |
fore can get up in the morning Tom is
sure to bee
say shouted Sambo, the colored man;
no one hain't talkin' about yore chillen, |
old Teddy"
Don't you daFo to speak to me like
Ihat!' exclaimed the old woman. tDo |
zine?"
That's right, Sue. " said the ball pIaver
See here, SambO, don't YOU sneak In snv
one here in that manner again or IN bit
you with my bat"
''YO' can't" said Sambo: 'svo' hain,t
wound up" Johnny Ward could make no
reply to this, and there was a moments
silence. Then the blue faced monkey.
Joclo, said:
''Well, I'm sure I thought everything
went wrong at the dinner''-
"Oh, you're unhappy" said the old
woman, because Uncle Toby poured half
R pint Of champagne into you when your
mouth was open.
'Well, l don't care" said the monl,ev
blushing till his blue face was purDle. sit
was mean advantage to take Of me when
was wound mp and couldn't help opening
my mouth"
"Wen, - said Miss Fanny, fam to be
to 60 on with my storyy''
Go Now you're off p shouted Johnny
Ward. u beg your pardon; forgot this
wasn't a game Of ball"
wei, what l was going to say was
TINS. Miss Bell opened a kiss paper and
handed it to Master Harry. / saw the
paper, and what do you think it said P''
we all glib dat I'm up, Miss Bones,n
replied the cOlOred man.
the monkey.
Il do declare" said the old woman.
mat African worries me so that, If 1
could, I'd spank all the children. SO I
would. Now, therep'
One OF the children, who had thrown
the old wOman's key into a vinegar bottle
while at dinner, so that she could never be
wound Up again, winbed at the others and
s:.d notaicc.
well, on the kiss paper" said Miss
sannie, ''were these words:
1.-TWO souls with but a single thought.
Two hearts that beat as one.
Now, think it is simply scandaIous for
children to pass such things around and
~ TO act as if they were grown up when
,ney ought to be out playing tag"
30 do ~ exclaimed the old woman.
Chlldren try to ape their betters too
nuch entirely. Children ought to be
;nllafen just as long as ever they can.
Ihey grow up fast enough and have to
make love and get married, and keep
mouse and bother about money and spank
Iheir own children soon enough. They
ought to know when they're well off. but
they don't. But what did Master Harry
iop'
HE biushed and looked like a fool.
Then he took two kiss papers and gave
1ne to Miss Belle and the other TO Miss
The one which he gave to Miss
Belle said:
There be none Of beauty's daughters
With magic like TO thee.
'But the one he gave to Miss Alillicent
said this: +. ~
Lovely maiG, ] say TO you
Eyermofe love you trus.
miss Belle blushed when she read hers